terrible
1. causing fear or dread or terror (Freq. 11)
- the awful war
- an awful risk
- dire news
- a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked
- the dread presence of the headmaster
- polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was
- a dreadful storm
- a fearful howling
- horrendous explosions shook the city
- a terrible curse
• Syn:
awful, dire, direful, dread, dreaded,
dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific
• Similar to:
alarming
• Derivationally related forms:
terribleness, dread (for: dread), awfulness (for: awful)
2. exceptionally bad or displeasing (Freq. 2)
- atrocious taste
- abominable workmanship
- an awful voice
- dreadful manners
- a painful performance
- terrible handwriting
- an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room
• Syn:
atrocious, abominable, awful, dreadful, painful, unspeakable
• Similar to:
bad
• Derivationally related forms:
terribleness, dreadfulness (for: dreadful), awfulness (for: awful)
3. intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality (Freq. 1)
- severe pain
- a severe case of flu
- a terrible cough
- under wicked fire from the enemy's guns
- a wicked cough
• Syn:
severe, wicked
• Similar to:
intense
• Derivationally related forms:
terribleness, severeness (for: severe), severity (for: severe)
4. extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
- in a frightful hurry
- spent a frightful amount of money
• Syn:
frightful, awful, tremendous
• Similar to:
extraordinary
• Derivationally related forms:
terribleness
• Usage Domain:
colloquialism
|
|
